Lavender Blueberry Lemonade

On a hot summer day, a cold glass of lemonade is one of the most refreshing drinks one can ask for. To mix things up, I sometimes make a fruit syrup with fresh fruit and honey — and to take it up another notch, I love to add lavender. I cut it from my garden in the summer and dry it to use all year long! However, you can often find dried lavender at specialty shops or on trusty old Amazon.

Blueberry season is in full swing at Weaver’s Orchard, so I thought that the blueberries’ hue would blend so nicely with lavender in a lemonade recipe.

Blueberries have to be one of my favorite fruits to pick. The bushes are at the perfect height – not much bending over required! Plus it brings back memories of harvesting blueberries in the wild: on camping trips at Ricketts Glen State Park in northeastern Pennsylvania, along the shores of Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, along the Appalachian Trail near my husband’s family’s house, and even in the woods where I grew up. These versions were tiny for sure, but always exciting to find, and delicious in pancakes or muffins.

Now throughout all of July, blueberry picking will be excellent at Weaver’s Orchard. Last year they were even picking them into August! If you aren’t up for picking, be sure to stock up in our market. I love to freeze them for easy use the rest of the year. They make a great addition to drinks like this lemonade, as well as in smoothies or in baking like the typical muffins or pancakes, as well as coffee cakes, yogurt and more! My kids have also inherited my love of blueberries, both fresh and frozen. My three-year-old will eat frozen (thawed) blueberries straight from the bowl — though he always manages to have his hands turn blue when eating them!

As for the lavender, it is one of my go-to’s when I have a headache. Lavender oil helps calm and soothe and has anti-inflammatory properties. I often find that drinking lavender lemonade and/or using the oil on my neck and forehead helps ease headaches caused by muscle tension. So whatever your reason for wanting lavender blueberry lemonade, this recipe won’t disappoint!